Sprinkler head



Jan. 21, 1969 B. J MACARTNEY 3,422,904

SPRINKLER HEAD Filed April 5, 1967 INVENTOR 5/?065 c/. MC/f/PT/Vt') d /KW ATTORNEY United States Patent O Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sprinkler head including a body member, nozzle, valve, and deflecting member is provided with a pair of strut members urging the valve member against its seat. The strut members are held in position by a fusible link including a pair of tension members engaging a fusible member of cup-shaped configuration containing fusible material with a piston member abutting thereagainst so that the tension members normally tend to urge the piston member in compressive relationship with the fusible material. In the event ambient temperature goes above the fusible temperature of the fusible material it is forced past the piston to release the tension members so that the valve member is blown off its seat.

The present invention relates to an improved sprinkler head for automatic fire extingushing systems.

The sprinkler head is used to automatically discharge water or other fire extinguishing agent from a piping system responsive to an ambient temperature rise above a predetermined amount.

It is extremely important that the sprinkler head be dependable in operation even though it may be in position for many years prior to its use. Further, it is important that the operating characteristics of the sprinkler head remain the same over the years so that an operation is dependably had at the desired temperature. Still further, it is important that the construction be such that fusible metal used in the sprinkler head is not subject to cold flow shear, or the like resulting in change in operating characteristics as has been the case with some prior constructions.

In some other prior sprinkler heads the construction has been such that the fusible element has been so arranged that it easily becomes corroded. In other cases the construction has been such that heat has been conducted away from the fusible elements at too rapid a rate thereby tending to make the sprinkler heads slow in operation.

The present invention aims to overcome the difliculties and disadvantages of prior constructions by providing a sprinkler head construction in which the fusible material is practically completely enclosed and thus protected against corrosion.

In accordance with the invention a sprinkler head is provided utilizing a construction for the fusible link in which a pair of tension members are releasably held together with a thermally responsive element by clamping means. The fusible link is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 487,008, filed September 13, 1965, now in Group 310.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, which shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a sprinkler head in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view of the sprinkler head showing the strut members and spaced therefrom the ill 3,422,904 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 bearing member of the valve member and the bearing member of the adjustably set member.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the sprinkler head.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the fusible link.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in FIGURE 1 a sprinkler head 7 in accordance with the invention including a body member 8 having a passage 9 therethrough terminating in a nozzle 10. At the top of frame 11 is a deflector member 12 mounted in a position axially of the nozzle 10 and in spaced relationship therewith. A valve member 13 is seated on a valve seat 14 releasably closing the passage 9. On the upper surface of the valve member 13 is a recess 16 forming a bearing surface carried by the valve member outwardly of its seating surface 17.

An adjustably set member such as a screw 19 extends through upper end 20 of the frame 11. On the lower surface of the adjustably set member 19 is another recess or depression 21 forming a second bearing surface. A pair of strut members 23 and 24 are contiguous and formed with oppositely positioned bearing members 25 and 26 respectively adapted to engage in the bearing surfaces 16 and 21. The strut members bear against each other at a bearing contact 27 offset from a line extending axially of the bearing surfaces 25 and 26.

The bearing contact 27 may be formed of an extension 28 on one of the strut members engaging in a recess or depresion 29 on the other strut member. Generally laterally directed extensions 30 and 31 project from each of the strut members 23 and 24, the extensions 30 and 31 extending outwardly from said offset bearing contact 27. At the outer ends of the extensions 30 and 31 are holding means such as hooks 32 and 33 adapted to engage in openings 34 and 35 in the ends of fusible link 36.

The fusible link 36 includes a pair of tension members 37 and 38 having respectively enlarged ends 39 and 40 provided with the openings 34 and 35. At their adjacent ends the tension members 37 and 38 are provided with nesting deformations 41 and 42 formed of a projection on one side and a depression on the opposite side. A thermally releasable element 44 is engaged against the nesting deformations 41 and 42, the fusible link assembly 36 being held together by a clamping member 45 which has an inwardly directed nesting deformation 46.

The fusible element 44 includes a generally cup-shaped base member 47 having a flattened end surface 49. A mass of fusible material 50 is positioned within the cupshaped base member 47. Abutted against the fusible material 50 is a piston member 51 which is sealed in position by inwardly turned edges 52 of the open end of the cupshaped member 47. The piston member 51 is provided with a recess 54 adapted to receive the projection 42 of the tension member 38.

The fusible material 50 is well known in the art and and may be made of metal alloys or chemical materials normally solid and liquefiable at a desired temperature, for example, at degrees F. Such materials are not limited to but may include solder, dichlorobenzene, benzyl'disulfide, or cobalt nitrate. The fusible material 50 is confined in the cavity of the base member 47 and thus is not subjected to shearing stress. Edges 55 of the piston member 51 are spaced from the inner surface of the side walls of the base member 47 so as to provide a clearance of approximately .05 to .08 inch in order that the fusible material 50 may pass through this space when fused. The construction of the fusible element 44 is well known in the art.

The clamping member 45 may be made from a short length of square tubing or fabricated in any other conventional manner. In assembling the fusible link 36 the fusible element 44 and the tension members 37 and 38 are placed in position within the clamping member 45 with the deformations 41 and 42 in nesting engagement with the recess 54. The assembly is then locked together by making the nesting deformation 46 as by the use of a press.

It will be noted that a tension force applied to the outer ends of the members 37 and 38 is transformed into a compressive force through the piston member 51 to the fusible material 50. Upon the attainment of a predetermined temperature the fusible material 50 melts and the piston member 51 is forced therein, thereby releasing the tension members 37 and 38. The strut members 23 and 24 then separate by reason of the pressure against the valve member 15. The entire assembly falls away allowing fire extinguishing fluid from the passage 12 to impinge against the deflector 14 for the extingmishment of the fire.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sprinkler head comprising a body member having a passage therethrough terminating in a nozzle, the outer end of the nozzle defining a valve seat, a deflector member, a frame extending from the body member and supporting the deflector member in a position axially of the nozzle and in spaced relationship therewith, a valve member seated on the valve seat and releasably closing the passage, means forming a bearing surface carried by the valve member outwardly of its seating surface, an adjustably set member extending inwardly from the frame inwardly of the deflector member, means forming a second bearing surface carried by said adjustably set member, a pair of strut members each bearing at one end against one of said bearing surfaces, the strut members abutting and bearing against each other at a bearing contact, said bearing contact offset from a line extending from said bearing surfaces, extensions from each of said strut members extending outwardly therefrom away from said offset bearing contact, holding means at the ends of said extensions, and a fusible link engaged between said holding members thereby holding the valve member against its seat, the fusible link including a pair of flat tension members positioned with the adjacent end of one tension member overlapping the adjacent end of the other tension member, a thermally responsive element axially compressible upon a temperature rise above a predetermined amount and positioned at said overlapping ends of said tension members, the overlapping ends of said tension members formed in a nesting arrangement so that tension between said members tends to cause the overlapping ends to separate laterally, and a clamping member encircling the thermally responsive element and said overlapping ends of the tension members.

2. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said bearing contact is formulated by an extension on one strut member engaging in recess means formed on the other strut member.

3. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said holding means at the ends of said extensions are hooks, the hooks being faced oppositely from each other,

4. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said thermally responsive element axially compressible upon a temperature rise includes a generally cup-shaped member, a piston member, a fusible material received in the cupshaped member and maintained in compression by pressure on said piston member, the piston member abutting the fusible material.

5. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said overlapping ends of the tension members are dimpled thereby forming 'sa id nesting arrangement.

6. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said overlapping ends of the tension members and said clamping member are dimpled together thereby forming said nesting arrangement.

7. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said bearing contact is formulated by an extension on one strut member engaging in recess means formed on the other strut member, and said holding means at the ends of said extensions are hooks, the hooks being faced oppositely from each other.

8. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said bearing contact is formulated by an extension on one strut member engaging in recess means formed on the other strut member, said thermally responsive element axially compressible upon a temperature rise includes a generally cup-shaped member, a piston member, a fusible material received in the cup-shaped member and maintained in compression by pressure on said piston member, the piston member abutting the fusible material.

9. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said thermally responsive element axially compressible upon a temperature rise includes a generally cup-shaped member, a piston member, a fusible material received in the cup-shaped member and maintained in compression by pressure on said piston member, the piston member abutting the -f-usible material, and said overlapping ends of the tension members and said clamping member are dimpled together thereby forming said nesting arrangement.

10. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said bearing contact is formulated by an extension on one strut member engaging in recess means formed on the other strut member, said holding means at the ends of said extensions are hooks, the hooks being faced oppositely from each other, said thermally responsive element axially compressible upon a temperature rise includes a generally cup shaped member, a piston member, a fusible material received in the cup-shaped member and maintained in compression by pressure on said piston member, the piston member abutting the fusible material, and said overlapping ends of the tension members and said clamping member are dimpled together thereby forming said nesting arrangement.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,170 7/1943 Ofstie 169-39 2,732,018 1/1956 Grimes 16939 3,161,236 12/1964 Macartney 169--39 3,348,618 10/1967 M'acartney 16939 ALLEN N. KNOWLES, Primary Examiner. 

